Although this book was a sequel, it draws readers in even more than its predecessor, The Cruel Prince. Characters will be faced with even more difficult decisions, alliances will be formed and broken, all while Black manages to wow the audience with an even more intriguing world than before. I really enjoyed the cover. It well reflects the tensions in this book with the main characters and the Kingdom of the Sea, and between Cardan and Jude over the crown. The most compelling aspect of this book, other than the amazingly written plot, is the character development. All of the characters showed some sort of character development; Jude became more bloodthirsty and mature, Cardan began to show more of his true colors, and, off course, several people were betrayed. I found this book even more enjoyable to read than the first book in the series and can't wait to continue!